Thanksgiving 2014 (The Crusaders)View OnlineLunabrony's Holiday SpecialsThanksgiving 2014 (The Crusaders)Years had passed since the last publicized misadventures of the most recent carriers of the Elements of Harmony, and the six had since gone their separate ways, although still communicated rather frequently. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had all grown as well, and one by one life had called them in different directions. Sweetie Belle had moved to Canterlot to pursue a career singing in popular clubs and auditoriums. Scootaloo, having never quite overcome her flying disability, had not for a moment let it stop her and became one of the top flying instructors in Cloudsdale. She was in charge of the written portion of the examinations, but nonetheless, under the guidance of Rainbow Dash, become an intimidating rite of passage in the eyes of hopeful young flyers. Apple Bloom had stayed in the area, although there wasn't much for her at Sweet Apple Acres anymore. Granny had moved on peacefully many years previously, and Big Macintosh had settled in a new place in the nearby country to begin a family with Cheerilee. Applejack remained at the farm with a hoof-full of hired help, and frequently was seen with Pinkie Pie, who now ran the bakery in Ponyville. This year, Bloom was having Thanksgiving with her old Crusading friends at her apartment in Ponyville, which had expanded only slightly over the years, but remained primarily the same. She had promised to drop by Sweet Apple Acres for at least an hour during the holiday to see her family, and had wound up staying all of Wednesday into Thursday morning. She'd gotten home just in time to begin cooking preparations, and had barely begun when she heard the unmistakable clattering of chariot wheels outside her door. She hurried to open the front door just in time to see an admittedly slim and muscularly toned Scootaloo emerging from it, who tipped the driver. "Scootaloo!" Bloom called. "Apple Bloom!" Scootaloo called. The two rushed to each other like magnets and collided with the force of gravitated space debris that would one day form a new star. There was excited laughter and squealing from the two of them, each rapidly trying to tell their own life story of the last year over top of the other one. Apple Bloom was just putting an enormous pumpkin lasagna in the oven, her own take on the festive holiday. Every family did it a little differently, and not a single one of them used turkey for obvious reasons. Should anypony bring up the concept of cooking and eating turkey, they would have likely been sent straight off to the nuthouse. Potatoes and carrots were simmering on the stove in one pot, cranberries in another. Scootaloo reached for a plate of gorgeously decorated chocolate and marshmallow cookies, but Bloom whacked her hoof with a spoon. "Those are not for now," she scolded. They talked for about half an hour, enjoying cold drinks, but conversation was brought to an abrupt halt with the screech of wheels and crunch of snow outside. They exchanged a wild grin, and both ponies rushed out the door. Sweetie Belle, with her hair elegantly falling down her neck, was emerging from a wildly elaborate carriage, a string of sapphires around her neck. A present from her sister at one time, no doubt. "Apple Bloom!" "Sweetie Belle!" "Scootaloo!" The wild screaming and hugging that had occurred only an hour earlier repeated itself once more, this time with three participants instead of two. There was gales of merry laughter as the carriage pulled away, the three making progress inside out of the snow. Sweetie Belle's horn lit up and she produced a large pan with iced gingerbread squares within it, the pan floating effortlessly off the ground. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom marveled over it. "I worked all afternoon on these," Sweetie Belle boasted. "Right," Scootaloo said, the pan hovering in the air just high enough for her to read '5 BITS' on a sticker underneath it. "I'm sure the Canterlot Marketplace greatly enjoyed watching your attempts," she grinned. "I made them at home!" Sweetie insisted, turning bright red only when Apple Bloom pointed out the sticker to her. Both mares erupted in giggling fits, and Sweetie Belle, though trying her best to look horrified, eventually joined them. With dinner soon ready with the three of them helping, well two really, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had expert practice at making sure Sweetie Belle thought she was helping when all she was doing was stirring sauce or keeping an eye on the timer. She was the only one either of them knew who could manage to burn soup, and although the unicorn had many talents, culinary skills were not among them. With the table set and layered with delicious delights, the three grown Crusaders sat around the table with plates heaped with food and oversized mugs filled with fermented cider, all three mugs of which were raised in joyous occasion. "To friends," Apple Bloom said. "And the seasons which bring us together, wherever we go." "To family," Sweetie Belle said. "To sisters, to parents, and everypony in between." "To celebrations," Scootaloo said. "Celebrating the past, and preparing for the future." All three mares knew that their travels would distance them from each other again, but they took every opportunity possible to reunite. Friendship was stronger than magic, after all, and far less easily broken. The dinner lasted over an hour, only a small part of their reunion, and the three ate until they could eat no more. Scootaloo showed off some of her balancing skills by twirling one of Apple Bloom's plates flawlessly on a fork, to her error and yet mild amusement. They had only begun the act of exchanging childhood stories when the buzzer blared its shrill cry. "Are you expecting someone else?" Scootaloo asked. Apple Bloom shook her head, and opened the door, mystified. Outside in the falling snow stood Diamond Tiara, in the ugliest sweater any of them had ever seen. She had been less fortunate, having to get a job at a young age when her father lost almost every single one of his bits after being investigated and found guilty of shady business practices. Diamond had been dealt a swift kick in the face by reality after that, and had thusly become less of a... well, they knew. "May I come in?" She asked, and held up a fruitcake. None of them liked fruitcake, but it was the gesture that really counted, and it was the season of sharing, after all. Not a single one of the ex-Crusaders hesitated in welcoming her into the warmth of the apartment, and the door closed behind her, sealing off the gently falling snow.
Christmas 2014 1/2 (Scootaloo)View OnlineLunabrony's Holiday SpecialsChristmas 2014 1/2 (Scootaloo)The bustle of the holiday season was apparent throughout all of the worlds and realms which celebrate it, and Equestria's own Ponyville was no exception. Hearth's Warming Day was coming up fast, and toy stores were filled with parents looking for last minute gifts for family and acquaintances. Such as they were also filled with children of all ages, bits in hoof, eagerly searching the aisles for that special, golden find. The big seller, the big must have it or I'll die kicking and screaming item this year was the brand new Carriers of Harmony plush set, each sold separately. For the first time, fillies and colts around Equestria could purchase their favorite of the Six Carriers in huggable plush form, sold throughout Equestrian Toy Stores. And of course, the market being what it was, the toys had first gone on sale only a few days after Thanksgiving. Barely 48 hours after being thankful for what they already had, children were lining up to snatch their favorite Harmonic Defender. Scootaloo was one of those children, and stood outside the Ponyville toy story with a pouch of bits around her neck. Although the toys had only just now gone on sale, they'd been announced weeks ago, and the young pegasus had spent all that time doing extra chores and saving so she could purchase herself that fabled trinket, a stuffed Rainbow Dash. Now, the Carriers themselves had all had different opinions on their likenesses being marketed, though they had allowed it. Fluttershy was worried that there might not be enough to go around, but if the kids wanted to get one of the others instead, that was okay too. Rarity had cursed the inaccurate dimensions as well as the dress options that came with the toy, and declared that she would never be seen in such a thing, and were the toymakers even trying? Rainbow Dash though the entire idea was awesome and demanded several boxes be shipped early to her house, so she could autograph them and give them out to all her fans. While at first free, she had discovered that ponies would pay out their ears for autographed plush versions of herself, and much to Twilight's disapproval had begun charging double the price of the toy itself for an autographed one, and was raking in bits at a shameful speed. Applejack refused to have anything to do with the crowds, not liking the attention and made it perfectly clear that as long as she wasn't treated like anyone special or more important than anyone else, she'd be just dandy. Pinkie had filled her room with miniature versions of herself, but unlike Rainbow Dash was giving autographed plushies for free, as long as the recipients would be her friends and stop by once in a while. Lastly, Twilight thought the entire thing was silly, and worried that all these kids would be busy playing with their toys instead of doing something fun, like studying for their final exams. But she was assured that the viral marketing campaign would die down within a few weeks, and gone along with it. With all that said, Scootaloo was overjoyed and impatient at the wait for being able to own her very own Rainbow Dash, and rushed to the counter as soon as her turn in line came. She had seen other children rushing home with Pinkie Pies and Applejacks, but none of them had Rainbow Dash. What nerds! She looked up at the clerk with bright eyes, clearing her throat loudly until he looked down at her. "One Rainbow Dash, please!" "Sorry, kid, don't have any. Nobody does." The world seemed to crack like a shattered mirror, pieces of it falling down around her. Had she heard that correctly? Surely she couldn't have heard that correctly. That wasn't possible, it just wasn't! "What?" Scootaloo asked quietly. "There was a mistake during production. Rainbow Dash accidentally got made with Fluttershy's cutie mark... only a few made it into circulation. Collectors are going nuts over them, and they're running for close to a thousand bits last time I checked." He chuckled a bit, shaking his head. "Rainbow Dash, animal caretaker. Can you imagine such a thing?" Scootaloo stared at him for what seemed like ages. This was the only thing she wanted, literally the only thing! She'd been saving up for so long, too! "I don't have a thousand bits," the pegasus said quietly. "But I'll ask Santa for one, then I'll get one for sure!" She gathered up her things and raced home, to explain the situation to her parents. She dashed through the street and through the crowds of pedestrians, trying to make it home in record time but seemed to be held up at every turn. She burst through her front door half an hour later, panting and out of breath. Her mother looked up in bewilderment. "Scootaloo, what in Celestia's name?" She asked. "Moooooooom!" Scootaloo whined. "You know how I asked Santa for a new scooter?! Plans have changed! I need a Rainbow Dash doll! I NEED one!" She insisted. Her mother looked surprised. "It's nearly Hearth Warming, Scootaloo. Are you sure Santa can arrange something like that on such short notice?" "Of course he can, he's Santa," Scootaloo said. "There was a mistake at the factory and nobody can get Rainbow Dash, but I know he can, because I've been super good all year! Except for that time me and Apple Bloom accidentally blew up that barn, but we didn't know those were LIVE fireworks..." She said apologetically. Her mother narrowed her eyes. Scootaloo had seen a worse grounding for that than she ever had in her life. "But the Rainbow Dash's are selling for a thousand bits, and that's no problem for Santa!" Scootaloo continued. "You said so, and you'd never lie to me!" Her mother looked pale. "Well, honey, maybe Santa's just going to get you the scooter, honey," She said patiently. "That's a lot of bits for one toy." "No way, you said yourself he can do anything, and besides, if I don't get that Rainbow Dash toy, then I'm not gonna believe in Santa anymore. I've been really good, and it's just one thing!" She marched herself right up to her room, and closed the door loudly and defiantly, yet without quite slamming it. Downstairs, her mother looked exasperated. "Oh, Scoots..." She whispered quietly.
Christmas 2014 2/2 (Scootaloo)View OnlineLunabrony's Holiday SpecialsChristmas 2014 2/2 (Scootaloo)The day following Scootaloo's defiant outburst of firm believing, the young pegasus sat in her clubhouse. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were both busy so she was by herself for now, the inside of the clubhouse its usual not at all creepy shrine to Rainbow Dash. Posters lined the walls, some of them autographed, and the limited furniture had a rainbow motif. "Scootaloo!" A harsh voice called from below, breaking her from her thoughts. Scootaloo's head jerked upwards, and she frowned but moved to the window to look out and down. Silver Spoon sat wrapped in an oversized scarf, her eyes gleaming beyond the thick frames she wore on her nose. There was surprisingly little reason for her to be over in this part of town, she'd never visited the clubhouse by herself before. Whenever she came by, it was always with... the other one. "What do you want?" Scootaloo asked, a little more bitterly than she'd intended. "Came to see how you were doing," Silver said, rubbing the back of her head with her hoof. "Diamond is off on a trip with her parents, so I don't have anypony to hang out with." "I'm fine," Scootaloo said. "I'm staying up here until Santa comes. My mother said he might not get me the plushie I want, so I'm staging a protest." Silver tipped her head. "Let me guess, that Rainbow Dash one that all the stores are out of that nopony can get?" "Yeah, that one!" "But, Scootaloo, Hearth's Warming is days away! You'll freeze up there!" "So be it," Scootaloo said, and turned away from the window. She heard Silver try to get her attention for several minutes, but she ignored her stubbornly, and did not return to the window. She waited until silence had resumed for several minutes, and peeked out again, seeing nothing except snow. She smiled in victory, but it was her only victory that day. Although she intended on staying up there for three more days, she was rushing down the ladder again as soon as her mother called her for dinner. The next couple days dragged onward, but the thought of the elusive Rainbow Dash plushie was never far from her mind. Hearth's Warming Eve night arrived with such force that it nearly slammed into her when she did realize what day it was, and both of her parents looked down at her with patient love. "Do you think Santa will bring me Rainbow Dash?" She asked hopefully, looking up at them. Her parents exchanged a glance. "I wouldn't get your hopes up," her dad said hesitantly. "I'm sure he's trying really hard, but if you don't get it, it won't be the end of the world." He smiled faintly. "It might be," Scootaloo muttered, and hugged both of her parents before going up to bed. She had little intention of going to sleep, wanting to stay up and listen for the sounds of reindeer and such, but her eyes were heavy, and sleep took her within half an hour. -HEARTH WARMING DAY- It felt like she'd slept for only a few minutes, but her eyes sprang open to the faint burst of early morning light. Scootaloo gasped and bolted out of her bed, nearly tripping over her hooves as she ran down the stairs. A moment later, she was screaming, and her parents were running down the same stairs after her, afraid for the worst. Scootaloo sat underneath the tree, screaming at the top of her lungs, a Rainbow Dash plushie held tightly in her front hooves. Rainbow Dash featured three butterflies on her flank, but was otherwise flawless. Her parents exchanged a confused glance, genuinely confused as to where in the world such a thing had come from. All three were so eclipsed by the wonders of the magical morning that none of them saw the small filly standing outside the window in the snow, a small smile on her face. Coming from a wealthy family certainly had its perks. She had no less than six flawed Rainbow Dash plushies at home, simply because she had wanted to play Changeling Invasion and her father had gotten Filthy Rich to pull some strings. Pushing her glasses up on her nose, the small filly disappeared off into the snow. Author's Note This is my last installment of 2014. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!
